Monday, April 02, 2007

Dodgers: Lowe can be a ground-ball machine when the sinker is sinking. This will be his third Opening Day assignment as a Dodger, and he lost the two others, one time getting whacked, the other losing a tough pitcher's duel. In two starts against the Brewers last year he was 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA.

Brewers: The best part of Sheets' Spring Training was not that he finally had a little success in Arizona. It was that he simply felt healthy, the first time that's been true in spring since 2002, really. When healthy, Sheets is one of a handful of the best pitchers in the National League. His curveball can be devastating in day games at Miller Park because hitters struggle to pick it up in the bright sunlight, and for his career, Sheets has a winning record and a 3.56 ERA in day games. In his four previous Opening Day assignments, Sheets is 2-0 with a 3.80 ERA (nine earned runs in 21 1/3 innings) and 19 strikeouts. The Brewers are 3-1 in those four games, all of which were on the road against a National League Central opponent.